I was sent a digital copy of this book for an honest review, but I will do my best to not include spoilers.

I really liked this book. It is obviously heavily influenced by Harry Potter, but I like how the author entangled the story line to make it her own. It has just enough to get you intrigued.

I enjoyed Ivy's character, though I will say that some of the story line was kind of predictable, but not TOO predictable to ruin the story. I still wanted to keep reading to find out the end. She was likable, relatable, and even though I am not used to reading middle grade, it was easy to remember she was young without it being distracting.

Rebecca was also a likable, yet deceiving character. When you first meet her, you think one way, but are proven wrong and realize how much her character means to the story.

I enjoyed Fyn as well, though I am very suspicious of his character. Either enough was written into his development or there is more to his side of the story.

A few things that prevented me from rating five stars were that the ending was very convoluted and rushed. While my gut told me it was probably going to end the way it did, it felt a little heavy in the details and seemed unbelievable. Yes, I know it is fiction, but it was still hard to encompass. It also felt rushed, with a lot of information, and part of the ending seemed rather lackluster. I think more could've been written to make that part interesting. I actually said out loud "that's it?" Maybe there is more to why that was written that way in the next book, but I am unsure.

Overall though, I really liked the story and would be interested in reading the next one. It was written with such detail, but yet not too much to be overwhelming, and the writer has a great tone to set the mood throughout the entire story!

Firstly, I’d like to thank the publisher for my digital copy in exchange for an honest review.

I’m giving this book 3 stars...and here’s why:

While this story is definitely its own, I immediately fixated on the Harry Potter vibe. This actually made it difficult to connect to the story; however, I had to see what happened in the end. This book is pretty short, so I finished it rather quickly...and I’m happy I pushed on. The journey through the story is worth the commitment.

This is not my usual read. I have a limited amount of experience with the Fantasy genre. But I do appreciate the creativity.

If you are looking for a middle-age read filled magic (and beautifully illustrated pages), this book could be just the one for you!

Thank-you Stories Untold for gifting this book in exchange for an honest review.
I thoroughly enjoyed this YA fantasy by D.E. Night. The world she creates is charming and imaginative, I’d love to see it made into a movie someday. As others have mentioned, there are some strong Harry Potter vibes, but the story is unique enough to stand on its own.
I found the writing itself a little lacking. Parts of it were confusing and I wasn’t drawn into that deep point of view that makes me feel like I’m right there with the character, but the story was fascinating and I have high hopes for book two.

I received a free copy of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

The story is about Ivy and orphan that grows up as a maid and then discover she has magic and goes to a school to learn how to use her magic and become a scrivenist. Scrivenists are magical people that help and protect royal family and keep track of history and new discoveries. Always curious about her surroundings, Ivy is bound to discover the fate of a man that she has always dreamed of and that nobody seems to remember, as that of her own family.
I really liked this book and I’m looking forward to read the sequel. I loved the characters even if I didn’t particularly loved Ivy. I really loved Rebecca and Winsome and I was growing up for Fyn. I am not really sure about the Preceptor, I can’t make my mind if she’s foe or friend and I really hope we will discover more about her story in the following books.
However, I found too many similarities with Harry Potter. I love HP but I also love an original story and sometimes reading this book I thought I was reading again the Philosopher’s Stone.
Nonetheless, I recommend this book because it is easy and I think it has a really big potential. I really want to see if the author will develop it.

Such a fun and whimsical fantasy for middle grade readers! This reads like Harry Potter meets Alice in Wonderland meets a fairy tale. This is exactly the kind of book I would’ve loved as a child when I devoured the books of Gail Carson Levine and Eva Ibbotson.

The introduction to this magical world was very reminiscent of reading Harry Potter for the first time, with a young girl who grew up hidden from magic suddenly finding herself a student at a magical boarding school. Ivy was an endearing protagonist. She is a bit awkward and an outsider, but she is smart and brave and caring. A delightful cast of characters and creatures fleshed out the worldbuilding.

As an adult reader, I wanted a bit more substance when it came to the backstory and relationships between characters, but I think it was appropriate for the intended audience. Some elements of the pacing and magic system confused me, so I hope those details are a bit more fleshed out in the rest of the series.

Overall, I thought this was a strong first book, and I recommend this series for young fantasy readers.

The Crowns of Croswald was a very magical read from the start. Ivy Lovely was hidden away at a castle caring for scaldrons and making food for the town for the first 16 years of her life. Once Ivy crosses the barrier that has hidden her magic for the past 16 years, everything changes. This book follows Ivy as she navigates her new school, Halls of Ivy, and learns about her magic and the magic of other's crowns. Ivy also discovers that there are many hidden secrets about her life and the school itself, and she's determined to find out what they are. It was such a fun and whimsical read, with many magical creatures and stories. The Crowns of Croswald was a great read for young adults and it definitely had elements that resembled Harry Potter. I found the book to be slow at some points and I struggled to read through it, but I did love the way the magic was portrayed in the book. I'm interested to see how the next book is!

I wanted so much to like this book but it just wasn't to be.

For me things got off to a bad start with the depiction of several fat characters, which seemed to be a recurrent theme especially in the first third of the book. Mrs Butterlove and her son Woodley bore the brunt of this, Woodley's sole discerning features were that he loved butter and would probably leave grease on your hand if you were to shake it. Mrs Butterlove was described as looking like she lived above the town baker rather than the shop she did live above. And of the three resident ghosts only the fat one had a nickname. These may be little things but to impressionable children I think it reinforces the negative stereotypes that bigger means silly, lazy or bad and children's book just don't need that.

Besides those issues, The Crowns of Crosward was a fun story but one that felt like a few original, interesting ideas mixed in with a lot of very familiar ones. It had a similar vibe to Harry Potter, not just the magical school setting but even some of the dialogue felt similar. I was happ to see a female protagonist, but Ivy was about as likeable as Harry Potter and the other characters lacked depth. The pacing felt chaotic either too fast or too slow in parts.

Ivy seemed a lot younger than her 16 years despite the frequent reminders of her age and she seemed to blunder her way through every obstacle in the story. Having read a number of incredible middle grade fantasy books lately I felt like The Crowns of Croswald missed the mark on a number of things and I struggled to make it through to the end.

Thank you to the author for the ARC provided by Netgalley.

I love a lost princess trope with a lot of fun magic, magical creatures, and lovable characters. I think that if you’re a fan of Harry Potter or Percy Jackson and are looking for a magical school and adventure this book is 100% for you and will be your next favorite series to dive into.

Ivy and Fyn are fun. Ivy herself is sweet and funny and I felt to be well rounded as a character, except that she seems much younger than sixteen. Rebecca is actually a really fun and sweet character. As for the rest of the characters they felt dynamic at times and other times they didn’t feel completely fleshed out. Despite this aspect, I really enjoyed being in the story alongside these characters.

I love love loved diving into a magical school setting full of adventure personally, it’s something that is warm and nostalgic for me and I think that the author did a great job bringing to life the magic and whimsy and wonder of it all. Especially as Ivy is experiencing it. Plus, the world of Croswald and the magical creatures were so fun!

I suppose the one thing that did throw me off was the demographic of this book, while I think anyone can read this and enjoy it, it did read and feel more like a middle grade. Regardless, I think anyone can read and enjoy this thoroughly. Especially for the characters.

The Crowns of Crowsald by D.E. Night was a fun Fantasy read. Ivy is wisked away from her dreary life as a scaldrony maid when a cloud comes down to rescue her; her and her scaldron (a type of mini cooking dragon), Humboldt. The story just gets more fantastical from there. She is taken to the magic school to become a scrivenist, a job keeping track of a royal family’s life. Ivy’s days and nights are filled with school and magic of all sorts. Little clues and wonderfully eccentric characters help Ivy to learn her family’s history and lead to a show down with a wicked royal. This book captured my attention, I really enjoyed following along on all of Ivy’s adventures. There was humor, romance, peril, and mystery at every turn.

I don't think I would've stumbled upon this book if I hadn't' gotten the review copy and I'm so grateful for that, because I loved it!
The world is absolutely amazing! I loved the magic school, the magic system, all the creatures and character. I loved the idea of using quills as wands, and the glanageries is absolutely brilliant!
I loved the story, I was so eager to get to know more about Ivy's past, all of my guesses where completely wrong and didn't even compare to the real story!
It was funny and super cute, and gave me very strong Harry Potter vibes, which I loved!
I absolutely loved it, definitely going to continue with this series!

When publisher Stories Untold Press reached out to offer me a copy of this book for review, I was initially hesitant. Middle-grade fantasy holds a special place in my reading heart, and I am particular about my choices. But I shouldn’t have worried, this one hit the spot.

Ivy Lovely has spent her childhood working in the castle kitchens, miserable and lonely in her barren existence. Until she is rescued by the prestigious magical school, and transported to a world beyond her wildest dreams. As she slowly settles into classes, and makes friends, strange events occur around her, most beyond any explanation. Can she save her friends, and her spot at the school, when events take a very dark turn?

I loved these characters, and the storyline kept me moving forward, wanting to know what was around the next corner.

My main criticism would be the similarity to the Harry Potter story, and there were moments when I struggled not to make direct comparisons to the HP story trajectory. A few plot moments wrapped up a little too quickly and neatly, but it was never enough to make me set the book aside. I will be finding the rest of the books, because I want to know how Ivy does as she goes forward in school.

Book Review: The Crowns of Croswald by D.E. Night

Synopsis: Ivy Lovely is a nobody. For 16 years she worked as scaldrony maid who forced to serve a royal family whose only payment is a scrap of food and cold living quarters. Then, one day, she crosses a boundary she didn’t knew existed. Suddenly, Ivy is thrust into a world of magic where she must learn to navigate and harness her talents. But why does Ivy keep having these strange dreams of a man she does not know and why does the Evil Queen want her dead?

Thoughts: Full disclaimer, this author’s publishing company reached out to see if I would be interested in reading and reviewing this book. Initially, I was somewhat hesitant but after finishing my last Kindle book, I decided to give it a go.

HOLY COW GUYS! I loved this book!!! This is definitely in the same genre as Harry Potter which everyone knows I love ❤️😁🦁 . Ivy is fierce, sassy, and headstrong, just the type of female protagonist I adore 🥰 once I started reading this book, I struggled to put it down. Given that this is the first book in the series and I liked it this much, I can’t wait to read the next one. I am a sucker for magical worlds and coming of age tales!

A few critiques: I had to check myself and not completely compare it to HP. When it comes to creating new worlds, very few compare to JKR, however, I feel this author is definitely on her way! I did find it a little frustrating at times that situations seemed to resolve a little *too* easily but I’m hopeful the story line will continue to morph and grow just like all of my favorite magically series do.

Please check out this book and author! It is available on kindle unlimited.

Overall rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️💫 4.5

#bookstagram #bookstagrammer #bibliophile #bibliophilelife #bookporn #bookish #books #bookreview #readmorebooks #summerreading #summerreadinglist #bookcommunity #bookstagramcommunity #booknerd #bookobsessed #bookgram #bookaholic #denight #thecrownsofcroswald

So the first notable aspect about this book is that the main character is a little older than most middle grade protagonists. At first, I was unsure about this, but then I realized that 11-year-old me was able to read about 17-year-old Harry Potter, so it doesn't really matter at all.

Right from the beginning, this book had an air of mystery to it. Ivy lives in a castle, but works as a scullery maid. One day, she crosses a magical border and she is immediately whisked away to the legendary Halls of Ivy, a school for Royals and Scrivenists. What I loved about this book is that the magic is so whimsical and absurd. There are really no limits to what the magic can do, which makes it really funny sometimes.

Ivy is incredibly inquisitive. She doesn't really adhere to the rules, and is more focused on figuring out who she is. Because surely a simple scullery maid couldn't belong at the Halls of Ivy? However, sometimes I thought she was a little too impulsive. Even though she doesn't care about the consequences for herself, that also means sometimes her friends are dragged into her shenanigans.

My only slight gripe with the story is that it takes while to get to the main plot. Ivy is being threatened by the Dark Queen, but we don't really get a sense of that until about halfway through the book. This doesn't mean that the first half of the book was boring. The first half was really whimsical, but it didn't yet tell a story.

My other point is that the last pages were a little on the predictable side. At one point it wasn't hard to guess what would happen next. I did like the ending, though. There are three books in this series, and the last pages of The Crowns of Croswald set the scene nicely for the next book, The Girl With the Whispering Shadow.

Final thoughts: The Crowns of Croswald is an incredibly whimsical story about a girl just trying to figure out who she is. I think it would be perfect for middle graders that show an active interest in reading, and enjoyed books like Harry Potter and Keeper of the Lost Cities.

I received a free copy from the Stories Untold Press via Net Galley in exchange for an honest review.

The Crowns of Crosswald is a magical story filled with magic, adventure, action, amazing characters, and mischief. The way the author build this magical world and each of the characters was so well written and developed that you could get easily trapped in the book. It has tons of fun and magical creatures and I loved that at the beginning of each chapter we had illustrations. They were so cute and added to the magic of the story. And I honestly love Ivy. She’s smart, fun, brave and compassionate.

Though I’m not the target audience, the book was entertaining and it’s perfect to dive in after a book hangover or when you don’t know what to read next or you want to simply have a magical adventure. I honestly can’t wait to read the second book!

Thanks Stories Untold Press and Net Galley for introducing me to this series!

Note: All opinions are my own.

The Crowns of Croswald is for anyone, young or old who loves magic, fairytales and dreamt once of wearing a crown.

Royalty with magic in their crowns, ’Scriveners’ with the talent and knowledge to create magic bring this book to life. There's a missing Royal family, a forgotten crown with no one there to collect, a dwarf who has stories filled with mystery and a Dark Queen you can't help but want to boo at.

D.E. Night has created a world filled with magic worthy of any fairy-tale and a mystery to keep you reading to know more. The good characters are both loveable and wonderfully well written, I could easily imagine reading this to my children when they were younger and them then booing at the baddies that are as much a part of a good story about magic as the heroes.

I loved this book so much and the sequel is sitting on my lap ready to go as I want to know what happens to Ivy Lovely and her friends and foes, now that school has come to an end of The Crowns of Croswald.

It's a magical tale in every sense and I truly believe that the series will be one to become beloved by many.

A story of a scaldrony maid becoming a magical being. Magic, magical school, royals and scrivenists. A darks queen. That is what a good fantasy novel is made of.

The Crowns of Croswald is interesting, full of action, mystery and magic. It’s full of interesting characters and creatures. It has a deep and complex story plot and I loved reading it and following Ivy on her journey.
I’ve in my opinion is a very interesting character and it was very easy for me to keep up with her and wanting to know how her story will proceed. The supporting characters are all so very different and they fit the story well.
The mysteries that the book is full of, keep the story going and your mind hooked until the end and beyond. I like how there are so many things and characters you have to wait to get to know and how that makes the story a page-turner as you simply have to keep on reading to get to the bottom of all the mysteries.

The only negative thing about the book is that sometimes things get a bit confusing. Things are not always very well described and especially in the beginning it was a bit hard for me to understand all the different bits of the story.

All in all, this is a great book and a great series and I cannot wait to keep on following Ivy on her journey.

* ARC received from the publisher via Netgalley

If you love magic, a magical school, dragons and other magical creatures and a good adventure, this is the book for you!

Crowns of Croswald is the first book in the middle grade fantasy series by DE Night. The book follows Ivy Lovely, a scaldron maid in a castle with a love for learning and sketching. On her sixteenth birthday she learns about the magic she possesses and is unexpectedly thrust into a magical and dangerous adventure.

I loved the world of Croswald and the magic system of this book! What was really exciting for me was the premise of the magical boarding school🔮, and a world with different magical beings🐉🦔!! It was so whimsical and fun to read about!

Ivy lovely is also such a great character, she is curious and determined and I liked seeing her character development throughout the book! I also absolutely adored the friendship element in the book.

The pacing of the book however was a little slow in the beginning and there were a few things I didn’t quiet understand, however as the story progressed I couldn’t stop reading!!

Overall I really enjoyed the book and I’m really looking forward to reading the next book in the series!

Thank you so much to the publisher for sending me a free ebook in exchange for an honest review.

I have received a free copy of ‘The Crowns of Croswald’ by D.E. Night in exchange of an honest book review. After not having read a fantasy novel for years I was really looking forward to reading it and diving into a fantasy world.

Synopsis: The book tells the story of 16-year-old Ivy Lovely (love the name!!) who has lived her life hidden behind an enchanted boundary that separates the mundane world from the magical. Once she crosses the border, her powers awaken and she starts going to the Halls of Ivy, a school where the students learn to master their magical blood and the power of Croswald’s mysterious gems. Ivy’s life however is threatened by the Dark Queen and Ivy needs to save Croswald by uncovering her own past.

I am not gonna lie, when Ivy first went to the Halls of Ivy I got major Harry Potter and Hogwarts flashbacks, which at times was irritating and felt like two magical worlds clashing – I just didn’t know where I was. At the same time there were so many interesting elements of the story that were very unlike Harry Potter. I loved that there were two types of ‘wizards’, the royals and the scriveners and the magical creatures show the author’s great imagination. The author is a true storyteller and I was amazed by her ability to build a magical world which made me dive right into it. I loved the main character, Ivy, and the connection she has with her friends at the Halls of Ivy. The only downside was that at times I felt like the pacing of the novel was a bit off, i.e. at times the descriptions were detailed and then certain plots were rushed by quickly and I felt like I didn’t have enough time to process them happening. One can see that this book is the first of a series and it was a great introduction to the world of Croswald and its inhabitants. The ending was intriguing and I am looking forward to reading the sequel.

Overall, ‘The Crowns of Croswald’ is a magical and adventurous debut novel.

3.5. If you want to read something heavily influenced by Harry Potter, this series is for you.

I haven’t read the rest of the books that came out after this one, but I enjoyed Night’s world-building and establishment of lore and magic. I appreciate when authors don’t coddle their audience and introduce elements of the world right away without pretext, so I enjoyed that aspect a lot. I think I would have liked some more character development, as it was hard to connect with Ivy and the dialogue seemed stilted, but it was still a fun read.

📖 Review: The Crowns of Croswald By D.E Night
(Middle Grade)
Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐💫4.3 stars

An enchanted slurry field forms a boundary (encompassing all things mundane) and seperating Ivy Lovely from the magical world beyond. After 16 years, Ivy finally crosses this border, awakening something magical within her. Ivy is whisked into the halls of ivy, a school where students harness Croswalds magically imbued stones and bloodline. With the dark queen after her, Ivy faces excitement, danger and risky escapades as she explores the halls of ivy and long kept secrets. This tale is a rich embroidery of dark magic, old prophecy, daring escapades, multi faceted characters and a radiantly cosmic magical world.

I am so grateful to have been invited to explore Ivy's enchanting tale filled with adventure, mystery, romance, whit and charm. Reading this magical mystery, a childlike excitement arose within me, which I long thought forgotten and I found the book hard to put down.

If you like the chronicles of Narnia or Harry Potter than this book series is for you! The initial couple chapters in the prologue were confusing but were quickly surpassed, as I became enraptured by D. E Night's intricately ethereal descriptions (as I joined fiercely brave Ivy on her quest for answers), in this fairytale like debut. Watch out though, this book might make you head deep into foody delights!

A pleatherer of magical creatures (scaldrons, hairies, porcupines and more) entice you through a chaotic and wondrous world. I particularly enjoyed the ghosts banquet of 'sumptuous' food, with more than a few spooky goings on and the cloaked brood which sent chills down my spine.This book has become a firm favourite for me and genuinely one of the best books I've read, can't wait to read the second in the series!

Thank you to @danielastoriesuntoldpress @storiesuntoldpress and @author.denight for sending me the book.